Toothbrush



R. IZAWA Sept. 4, 1923.

TOOTHBRUSH Filed Nov. 12, 1921 Federated Sept. 41-, 1923.

NHTD

TES

RIICHIRO IZAVVA, OF SHIMOGYO-KU, KYOTO, JAPAN.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RIIoHIRo IZAWA, a subject of the Emperor of Japan, residing at No. 7 Furunishi-machi, Nishikikojiagaru, Nishinotoin-dori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Toothbrushes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a tooth brush having a resilient stem bendable and elastic. The object of the invention is to provide a tooth brush which can bend freely and fit itself to a row of teeth of any configuration so as to keep its tuft of hairs constantly in close touch with the teeth surfaces by reason of its elasticity.

The accompanying drawings show the brush and the method of its manufacture, in which- Fig. 1 shows a side view of the brush,

Fig. 2 a plan View,

Fig. 3 an enlarged longitudinal section,

Fig. 4 an enlarged cross section,

Fig. 5 a longitudinal section of the manufacturing apparatus, and

Figure 6 is a cross section of the apparatus.

To enumerate the compositive parts in dctail, (1) a handle, (2) a tuft of hairs secured at the end of the handle or stem; the portion of the stem on which the hairs are fastened being composed of several small brush-holding members or pieces which pieces are arranged and fixed on a thin, narrow, elastic steel plate or strip (4) passing through the interior of the pieces like an axis.

To describe the method of manufacture, the small pieces are best made of celluloid or other similarly plastic materials. The plate (4:) has a number of small holes (6) therein through which a portion of the brush holding members pass, whereby the brush holding members are securely fastened to the plate.

The process of manufacture is illustrated in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. (9) is an upper mold provided withconcavities (8), to mold the upper surfaces of the small pieces; (10) corresponding lower molds; (13) (1%) side molds, sliding smoothly over the lower mold and fitting each other when closed together to form concavities on the lower mold for the small pieces and to be removed when the molding has been completed; (4) a thin plate of steel or other elastic mates TOOTHBRUSH.

Serial No. 514,490.

rial; (11) (12) celluloid in tabular forms, to be used as material for the pieces and situated so as to secure the elastic plate (at) between the same.

Under such arrangement, if the molds are pressed against the material therein, while the same is being heated, the tabular celluloids become united enwrapping between them the elastic plate (4:) and are formed into separate pieces with a. connector each passing through the hole in the plate. The handle or stem of the brush above described is thus obtained; and the hairs are then put into place.

Thus the chief feature of the present invention consists in the fact that the part of the stem, on which the hairs are fastened is composed of several small pieces instead of a single piece as in ordinary brushes, and these pieces are connected together by means of a thin plate of steel or other elastic material. Owing to this construction, the toothbrush can bend freely during use, reacting meanwhile against the pressure, so that the brush is kept in close touch with, and strongly pressing against the teeth, whether applied to the front teeth, or to the molars.

I claim:

1. A tooth brush comprising a handle, a thin elastic plate fixed to said handle, said plate having a number of holes therein, aplurality of brush-holding members each having a portion surrounding said plate and each having a portion passing thru one of said holes, and tufts of hair anchored on said brush-holding members 2. A tooth brush comprising a handle, a curved spring steel plate fixed to said handle, said plate having a number of holes therein, a plurality of brush-holding members molded about said plate and each having a portion passing through one of said holes, and tufts of hair anchored on said brush-holding members.

3. A. tooth brush comprising a handle, a spring steel plate secured to said handle, said plate having a plurality of holes there in, a plurality of brush-holding members arranged end to end and surrounding said plate and being secured thereto, and hair anchored on said brush-holding members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

RIICHIRO IZAWA, 

